Starbucks with a touch of yourself.

Nowadays we see more collaboration between customers and companies around us. Companies are using the creativity and knowledge of their customers to achieve new and maybe better products. This is an example of the open world were people share their powers. That we see this more, doesn’t mean that collaboration is happening everywhere. Two years of in-depth research on collaboration effectiveness and outcomes in business suggests that 75% of companies are at a low-level of collaboration maturity. An example of a company were collaboration do takes place, is Starbucks.

The My Starbucks Idea website isn’t new apparently, but I never heard of it and that is why I want to write something about it. The My Starbucks Idea website, where Starbucks does its business crowdsourcing, has been actively engaging customers for more than 3 years now. It encourages customers to submit ideas for better products, improving the customer experience, and defining new community involvement, among other categories.

In fact, you know better than anyone else what you want from Starbucks. So that is why you can tell them: What’s your Starbucks Idea? If it is revolutionary or simple that don’t mind. Share your ideas, tell them what you think of other people’s ideas and join the discussion. This way of sharing and working together helps creating something good together. Customers today can order a “skinny” beverage and a cake pop, garner digital rewards for using their Starbucks Card and enjoy free Wi-Fi, all thanks to suggestions from fans.

Why is it cool

The collaboration is for both sides positive. Customers are getting power because they share their ideas and if they are lucky their idea is getting picked en processed in the company. But also for Starbucks it is very effective. They can get to know the minds of their costumers. They get loads of potential idea’s. They already received amazing ideas from this online community, which they can bring to life in stores worldwide.

“We don’t know what the next big idea from our customers may be, but we’re thrilled to keeping listening, engaging and making adjustments to improve the Starbucks experience for fans everywhere.” -Starbucks

The research sad that 75% of companies are at a low-level of collaboration. I think that we are going to see more and more collaboration in the future because we can see the benefits that it brings to companies. Companies are going to need the opinion and ideas of their customers because they are the one that need to come back to them. They need each other.